攀登落磯山國家公園高山湖~ Shelf Lake & Solitude Lake (2018.08.29)

Mills Lake
落磯山國家公園(Rocky Mountain National Park)裡面一些高山湖除了一些較高海拔、幾乎沒有山徑的小湖外,在前幾年大都已攀登過,前一陣子和登山隊要去Guanella Pass攀登一座Shelf Lake時,上網搜尋資料才知道在國家公園內的Glacier Gorge也有一座Shelf Lake,就位在Black Lake Trail快接近Black Lake的右邊山上,在Shelf Lake 之上還有一座Solitude Lake,這兩座高山湖座落在Arrowhead和Thatchtop兩座高山的山腳下,看紀錄登該兩湖的路徑非常陡峭而且沒有明確的登山步道,當時就有想去一探的意念,看氣象預報本週三是個晴朗的好天氣就決定前往。






Moose at Bear Lake Road, Rocky Mountain National Park

Looking south at Thatchtop from Black Lake Trail

Mills Lake Trail with Pagoda Mtn in center

Mills Lake


Mills Lake
拍照後續沿湖岸東南轉向南行。

Mills Lake with Longs Peak et al. mountains in the distance

Looking south at Chiefs Head Peak & The Spearhead from Mills Lake

The junction of Black Lake Trail & Glacier Gorge campground
指示牌標示右岔過原木橋往Glacier Gorge露營地,左直行往Black Lake約1.2哩,其實不太正確,實際里程約有1.4哩左右,取左直行。
此時往西南看在山谷盡頭是Chiefs Head Peak和山頭尖尖如矛頭的The Spearhead;

Looking southwest at Chiefs Head Peak & The Spearhead from the Shelf Lake Trail fork
西邊則是Arrowhead和Thatchtop兩座山頭,Shelf Lake和Solitude Lake即位在Arrowhead和Thatchtop中間的山谷平台上;

Looking up at Arrowhead from Black & Shelf Lake Trail fork
在Arrowhead下方的森林中仔細看可以看到一線瀑布,此瀑布是Shelf Creek所形成,攀登Shelf Lake的山徑即是沿此溪的右岸上攀。

Looking up at Arrowhead & Shelf Creek Falls from Black Lake Trail

Bear right to the unmaintained social trail across glacier creek up to Shelf Lake from this meadow

Crosses Glacier Creek on fallen tree bridge
到對岸後仔細尋找可找到不是很明顯的路跡往山上上登,上登途中有時會遇到岔路,研判是登山客各找各的路走出來的,最終都會會合,基本上還是依循較明顯的路跡來走;路徑很陡峭,但還不至於有危險性,走走停停,適度的休息保持體力,利用休息時眺望河谷對岸的Longs Peak有夠雄偉。

Looking southeast at Longs Peak from the trail up to Shelf Lake

Looking south at The Spearhead from the trail up to Shelf Lake

Looking up at Arrowhead from the trail near Shelf Lake

Shelf Lake


Shelf Lake panorama


Looking southeast at Longs Peak from Shelf Lake


Looking southeast at Longs Peak and the Keyboard of the Winds from Shelf Lake

The falls between Shelf & Solitude Lake

Looking southwest at the route up to Solitude Lake

Looking down at Shelf Lake from Solitude Lake

Shelf Lake
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